Yesterday, we presented our discussion about the Brooklyn Cyclones with The Brooklyn Paper’s Ed Shakespeare. Today, we submit the remainder of the interview.

And onto the hitters! How would rate the play so far of Ike Davis and Reese Havens? Beyond the numbers, is there anything you can tell us about them, such as their attitude?

Ike Davis has had a disappointing start. I don’t have the numbers, but I did a little column on the first half through the first thirty eight games, and he had hit .237 with no homers and nine RBI after Saturday night. Recently I’ve seen games and he’s hitting the ball harder. He’d gone 79 at-bats without a walk at one point in the year, but recently he’s becoming a little more selective. He’s really hit more balls that were hard—sometimes they were at someone—he’s been shifting his weight too much to the front when he wasn’t hitting well, and now he seems to be keeping his weight back longer, and he’s also not getting out front to where he doesn’t hit for power. He’s also lost some homers to Keyspan Park. Also, getting used to the wood bat could be a problem. But the first time he was ever up, he just sort of flicked the bat, and he hit it high off the wall. Obviously, from his college record, everybody knows he has good potential. You’ve got to give these guys a little more time; he’s only been with the Cyclones a month. He’s also had a layoff in between college and pro ball. I think his college record speaks a lot more than just one month. He’s got a good attitude, and he wants to do well. And he has good genes! I think he’ll have a good second half in Brooklyn.

Reese Havens hasn’t really had a shot yet. He hurt his elbow, so he’s yet to play shortstop—he was batting as the DH, and then he pulled a groin muscle. So he’s not complaining, but I’m also sure the elbow bothered him when he was batting. The rumors are they’re going to switch him somewhere else because of Reyes—I don’t think they want to mess with him right now. Let him get used to pro ball, swing the bat. He’s dying to play, really wants to be on the field. I asked him to evaluate himself, and he gave himself a “C or C-minus.” I think he’s a hard-nosed kid, and he doesn’t want to make excuses, but he’s had elbow problems all year. Plus, he’s not used to being a DH, and it’s not as easy as some people might think, because you’re just sitting around during the game when you could be on the field. He’s hit some homeruns—three—in not a lot of at-bats, so he’s got some good power for a shortstop, especially a left-handed hitting one, but he hasn’t had a chance to play the field.

The thing about the Cyclones is that they’ve never had the infield together. Zach Lutz had an injury last year to his right foot before the season started, and tried to play through it and only had two at-bats before spending the whole year rehabbing. He came back this year but he’s been bothered by it. The foot has thrown off other things. I’m not a doctor, but his right quad and lower back have both been affected. His body may be compensating. He’s in Florida now rehabbing it and, there are different stories about his return, but I don’t think anyone really knows. He’s hitting .333, and he really hits about every ball hard, even his outs. It was like watching a good hitter play slow-pitch softball. He was going to be the starting third baseman, but it seems like only half the time he’s been there. Havens hasn’t played at all. The second baseman, Josh Satin, is a big guy, listed at six-two. He’s got a lot of power, hit a bunch of homeruns at Cal-Berkeley. He used to be a shortstop but hurt his arm a little bit so now he’s at second. He hasn’t made an error this year though. He didn’t get a hit at all his first 15 at-bats, but he was obviously rusty. He’s been hitting slightly over .300 since the opening week. He looks like a power hitting corner outfielder. He’s thin, but he’s obviously got power.

[Going back to the pitchers, Scott] Shaw has been doing very well. Berrios thinks he has the best command of any of the pitchers. Pedro Martinez—no relation [to the current Met]—has been doing okay but he has trouble when runners are on base. And then they have another young pitcher, [Humberto] Mejia who is only eighteen years old. He has some control issues, but he is young. [Tim] Stronach is back for his third year with Cyclones, but he’s been doing all right. They want him to have more of a bulldog mentality. If he can do that, then maybe he could have some potential.

As far as relievers, Roy Merritt has been really good. Another guy doing well is Jimmy Johnson. He had excellent control of late. There was one game a few weeks ago when three different pitchers, including him, walked seven straight batters, but since then Hector’s been working with them. Hector feels Johnson was trying to be too perfect.

Speaking of Stronach, the Mets seem to have a habit of moving players, sometimes awkwardly, from A-ball to the Cyclones. Is this a phony play to strengthen the roster, or are these guys I really shouldn’t be getting excited about? How do you think this affects a player’s performance?

I wrote an article about him a little while ago. They really want Brooklyn to win. Guys like Stronach, and J. R. Voyles, they’re back. The Cyclones bring a lot of guys back during the year, so you never know when a guy is really done with Brooklyn. I think they are more concerned with winning in Brooklyn then they are at Savannah. Guys who could play in upper levels can be brought back if the Cyclones need them. I think the Mets really want them to do well. Even if their farm system stinks, they can cover that up a little with a good year from the Cyclones. I think after the first year, a lot of the players came back for various amounts of time to play the second. When they came back, they never said it, but you could tell they didn’t really want to be there. They have a limited life as a ballplayer, and they want to keep moving up. Just judging from their facial expressions and their body language, you could tell they were disappointed.

I actually don’t think it hurts them that much. Angel Pagan was there their first year. He was doing pretty well in the Sally League, and they brought him back down. Mike Jacobs returned to Brooklyn too. Both of them made the majors, of course. I think a step above Brooklyn is only more of like a half-step. I don’t think it’s as big as St. Lucie to Binghamton or Binghamton to New Orleans. I don’t really think it hurts the player’s development, particularly if he plays every night. Usually, they will start them at Brooklyn for two or three weeks before moving them back. Sometimes, if a guy is struggling at Savannah or St. Lucie, he’ll come down for a little while. Some other teams, like the Staten Island Yankees, do this too.

When you add it all up though, I don’t think they overdo it.

Are there any players in particular who you’ve followed from Brooklyn up through the system (or other systems if they’ve been traded)? What players have you been most interested in following their post-Brooklyn career?

I really like Dan Garcia, since he made so many good fundamental, old school baseball plays. He did make the majors, but then he hurt his arm. I saw him play last year, and he was doing okay, but you could see the arm still hurt him a little bit. I enjoyed the success of Jacobs—I still don’t know why the Mets traded him! I kind of wish the Mets would keep more of their prospects. On the other hand, some of their best prospects skip Brooklyn. This year, thankfully, most of their top draft picks are there.

Thanks, Ed, for taking the time to answer our questions.